Malaria's coming to Denmark

The Anopheles mosquito could be here by 2050 thanks to global warming

This little blood-sucker will bring malaria to the north, says research

June 27, 201412:25

by Nanna G Vansteelant

The Environment Ministry predicts that the Anopheles mosquito, the bearer of malaria, is on its way to Denmark.

The Anopheles mosquito is most commonly found in tropical and subtropical climates, but thanks to global warming, it is increasingly being found closer to home. Just recently, the insects have been detected in northern Italy, and researchers fear their arrival in Denmark could become a very real scenario in the future.

A serious threat
“According to researchers’ predictions regarding the effects of climate change, conditions [in Denmark] will see temperature ranges that are ideal for the mosquito by 2050,” Jes Aagaard from the Environment Ministry told Metroxpress.

In fact, Aagaard regards the figure as quite conservative and underlined to Metroxpress that Denmark needs to take this very seriously.

Malaria kills millions of people each year, particularly in Africa and Asia. According to the health research institution Statens Serum Institut, there are 80-100 cases of malaria reported in Denmark each year – mainly by people returning from sub-Saharan Africa.